North & East Texas
Anderson County Commissioners Court approved a one-time $20,000 emergency budget amendment so that BARC The Humane Society, an animal shelter, can operate until Dec. 31.
Angelina County Judge Wes Suiter was installed as president of the Deep East Texas Council of Governments. He also serves as first vice president of the Texas Association of Regional Councils and regional representative on the board of the National Association of Regional Councils. In July he was also installed as president of the North & East Texas County Judges and Commissioners Association.
Bell County Commissioners Court approved a project expected to cost $408,222 to scan and digitize property records from 1988 to 2006 and a contract with Texas Green Electronic Recycling Co. to recycle the county’s electronic equipment.
Cherokee County Commissioners Court approved a new contract with East Texas Medical Center EMS at costs of $57,600 to the EMS, $19,800 to the city of Alto, and $12,000 to the city of Wells. The funds, along with $100,000 from ETMC, will go in a subcontract to Blanket Ambulance Service of Huntsville.
Coryell County Commissioners Court approved $44,400 in repairs to convert a MHMR building into an eight-bed mental health services center in Gatesville.
Ellis County Commissioners Court approved an agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to house up to 300 detainees in the county’s detention center. “The people from ICE came to us about a year ago asking if we would be interested in being an ICE detention center,” Chief Deputy Dennis Brearly told the Midlothian Mirror. “We responded that we would like to study their proposal and would consider it.”
Franklin County Commissioners Court approved a federal grant of $35,000 to provide computer systems for three patrol cars, software for the sheriff’s office, and computer aircards and licensing fees.
Grayson County Commissioners Court approved a proposal for vote centers to make it easier for county residents to vote. They are designed as universal vote centers where residents from any precinct may cast a ballot. If approved by the Secretary of State, the vote centers will be used in the general election Nov. 5.
Gregg County Commissioners Court approved a hazard mitigation action plan after its previous plan expired in 2011. FEMA has also approved the plan, according to the Kilgore News Herald.
Harrison County Commissioners Court approved the purchase of generators for the county’s water supply corporations to use during outages in disaster recovery. Texas Department of Rural Affairs provided funding.
Henderson County Commissioners Court adopted rules for cattle guards on county roads.
Kaufman County received a state grant of $122,058 to improve security of county facilities.
Leon County Commissioners Court approved the donation of $10,500 for a K-9 drug dog and its training for the sheriff’s department.
McLennan County received its first 200 detainees from U.S. Immigration and Customs in July since LaSalle Corrections assumed management of the 816-bed Jack Harwell Detention Center in June.
Panola County Commissioners Court approved a donation from Constable Mitch Norton of a drug dog and $73,000 from Goodrich Petroleum for county road repairs.
Rusk County completed a four-year project of Church Hill Water Supply Corp. to install a water pipeline along FM Road 3135 to serve 70 families. Funding included $350,000 in grants.
Smith County Commissioners Court approved tax abatements for VME Process, an oil and gas industry supplier, to help secure investments of $3.6 million over the next five years, including phase one of $1.6 million for a new location, renovation and startup equipment to create about 25 new jobs.
Van Zandt County Commissioners Court approved the installation of touchscreen pay kiosks from Touchpay Holdings of Irving to validate debit cards for money for inmates upon their release.
South Texas
Austin County Commissioners Court approved an agreement with Texas Department of Agriculture for sewer improvements for New Ulm Water Supply Corp.
Bexar County Commissioners Court accepted a $1.75 million grant from Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife to help with the $5 million redevelopment of Mission County Park. Commissioners Court also approved $1.2 million for construction and furniture of BiblioTech, which the San Antonio Express-News said will be the nation’s first all-digital public library system.
Blanco County Commissioners Court approved the purchase for $20,947 of a panic system from Guardian Security Solutions for the courthouse, annex, probation office, and JP office in Blanco, including 26 panic buttons, controllers and installation.
Brazoria County Commissioners Court approved the purchase for $92,113 of a generator to operate the city of Richwood water plant in emergencies.
Calhoun County received a 2013 Gold Leadership Circle Award from the state comptroller’s office for public financial transparency of the county’s website.
Comal County will assume maintenance of roadways in Canyon Lake Park that have been abandoned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers but are still used by residents of two subdivisions.
Fayette County Commissioners Court created a deputy sheriff’s position to serve as a crisis intervention officer trained and certified to handle mental health issues and to handle offenders with mental impairments. A four-year grant from the Bluebonnet Trails Community Services Center will provide initial funding. Commissioners Court also honored the La Grange High School baseball team for its 2013 Texas Class 3A championship.
Gonzales County Commissioners Court authorized the purchase for $73,270 of Odyssey Attorney Manager, computer software from Tyler Technologies to accommodate an upcoming workload increase for the county attorney’s office.
Guadalupe County Commissioners Court approved the purchase of six acres of land from the Pecan Museum Association for $295,845 to use in part for the expansion of the road and bridge department.
Hidalgo County Commissioners Court authorized ERO Architects to begin design of a new courthouse, a seven-story building which the Mission Progress-Times said will cost $88 million. Commissioners Court also approved the creation of a healthcare funding district expected to raise up to $320 million for indigent care and honored Ernest Aliseda upon his appointment to the Board of Regents for the University of Texas system. Aliseda is managing attorney for the Loya Insurance Group and a municipal court judge for the city of McAllen.
Kendall County has a new Commissioner. Richard Chapman, longtime Boerne businessman, was appointed to replace Commissioner Darrel Lux, who was appointed county judge after the death of Gaylan Schroeder.
Kleberg County Commissioners Court voted to rescind a 26-year agreement with Kenedy County and the federal government that made Kleberg primarily responsible for funding the prosecution and handling of cases from the Sarita checkpoint. “We can’t afford it any longer,” Commissioner Romeo Lomas told the Kingsville Record & Bishop News. Judge Juan Escobar added, “The U.S. government has got to come to the plate. They have to take responsibility. Their job is to protect us and the border.” Lomas said Kleberg paid $3.1 million on checkpoint cases from October 2004 to June 2013 that was not reimbursed by the federal government.
Lavaca County Commissioners Court approved donations to its senior citizens program, including $8,000 from Shiner Brewery for supplies and vehicle replacement for the Shiner Senior Citizens Center.
Lee County Commissioners Court approved a contract with Harris True Automation System for a tax collections computer system for $87,000 for the system and training, and $14,838 for annual maintenance.
Matagorda County Commissioners Court approved tax rebates and economic incentives for Tenaris, an international company that serves the oil and gas industry. Tenaris plans to manufacture seamless steel pipe in Matagorda County, Judge Nate McDonald told the Bay City Tribune.
Refugio County Commissioners Court approved tax abatements for Wilkinson Chevrolet, which plans $700,000 in improvements and remodeling for its facilities.
San Patricio County Commissioners Court approved the purchase of two diesel-powered, 1,825-kilowatt generators and a control room that will produce enough power to keep in operation the sheriff’s department, jail, county courthouse, and crisis communications center.
Travis County Commissioners Court approved a loan of $1.8 million to the private developer of a 120-unit affordable housing project near Lake Travis to help the developer qualify for $10.8 million in federal tax credits.
Uvalde County Commissioners Court approved $49,859 in remodeling and $8,675 in new equipment for the county’s nutrition center.
West Texas
Brown County Commissioners Court approved the issuance of $1.5 million in tax notes to help fund county road and building improvements.
Callahan County Commissioners Court approved the use of countywide polling places, a program of the Texas Secretary of State, where residents from any precinct may vote at any vote center instead of current voting locations.
Clay County Commissioners Court approved the purchase for about $26,000 of eight in-car camera systems for sheriff’s office patrol vehicles.
Cochran County Judge James St. Clair told the Levelland & Hockley County News-Press that he will retire as judge Dec. 31 with a year remaining on his term.
Ector County Commissioners Court approved an increase in homeowners’ homestead exemption from 10 to 20 percent on property taxes. “It’s a good thing,” Commissioner Dale Childers told the Odessa American. “Not everybody’s making more money, and it will be good for the average homeowner.”
Jack County Commissioners Court approved a reinvestment zone to allow Renewable Energy Services Corp. to develop the Keechi wind project with tax abatements.
Lamb County Commissioners Court approved an emergency budget amendment of $40,000 for plumbing repairs at the county hospital.
Motley County Commissioners Court approved the construction of homes for three residents by S&T Construction of Sanger in a program of the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs.
Presidio County Commissioners Court approved an agreement between the sheriff’s office and Marfa ISD to provide a school resource officer to patrol the campus and provide counseling services to students.
Scurry County Commissioners Court approved a reinvestment zone and tax abatements for a proposed wind farm near Fluvanna.
Ward County Commissioners Court approved a grant of $50,000 to the city of Monahans to assist with the purchase of a water truck for the Monahans VFD. H
– Compiled by Garner Roberts
Congratulations to News Reviews writer Garner Roberts, who was recently inducted into the Lone Star Conference’s Hall of Honor. Roberts served Abilene Christian University as its director of sports information from 1973-98, watching the Wildcats win 41 national championships and 89 Lone Star Conference titles and working at the Olympic Games and other international assignments. He remained at the university in various marketing roles until 2004 and also served as the LSC media relations director from 1984-95 while performing his duties at ACU. He joined Zachry Associates in 2005 as writer and editor and began writing for County Progress in 2008.